Fair and Square - A McRoll in the REAL World Story
by Mari217
Summary: Steve takes on a little challenge, and the prize is irresistible


_Sammy & Ilna: Another year of friendship begins ... another year of collaboration, and I can only imagine another year of hugs, love, tears, comfort and joy. And that's just in our real lives. I couldn't ask for better friends to be on this project with._

_REALMcRollers, readers, guests, and friends: you made 2104 a spectacular year for the REAL World and we look forward to spending so much more time with Steve & Catherine and all of you!_

_Love to all, Mari xoxox_

* * *

><p><span><strong>Fair and Square<strong>

**McGarrett/Rollins ****R****esidence  
>Saturday - 6:00 p.m.<strong>

Steve looked up from his spot on the sofa; a smile graced his lips at the sound of Catherine's key in the lock. He'd expected her since Cammie had gone to wait at the door five minutes before.

"Hey." She bent to kiss Cammie and dropped her purse and a brightly colored gift bag on the table. "Did you have fun swimming?" She noted the dog's slightly damp coat.

"We did." Steve stretched up to return her kiss. "How was the underwear party?" He smirked.

She laughed, "Lingerie shower, smart ass. And it was okay." She shrugged. "All showers are pretty much the same. At least Carrie was there, we always have fun together."

Steve's eyes went to the gift bag. "How come you came home with a present?"

"It's a prize. I won one of the games. Carrie won, too. She guessed stuff about the bride. Ashley was her bunkmate on the Stennis, so she had an edge. At least they weren't the usual 'bridal bingo' games that make me want to shoot myself in the foot to escape." She chuckled.

"What kind of game?"

"I won, _how well do you know your partner?_ Whoever answers the most questions correctly in the shortest time gets a prize."

Steve's brows knitted. "Wait, how can you tell if someone got them right? I mean if their partner's not there to confirm it?"

Catherine grinned. "Honor system. It's really about can you answer them all and who's fastest. There were women there who didn't know what their husbands had wanted to be when they grew up."

Steve smirked. "And you got how many right about me?"

Catherine's eyebrows rose. "Are you kidding? All of 'em."

"Atta girl." Steve's amused look was tinged with pride. After a couple of heartbeats he nodded. "What were they?"

"The questions?" Catherine slipped off her shoes and sat next to Steve. She picked up his bottle of water and took a sip as he slid an arm around her waist.

He motioned to the plate of food. "Want some? And yeah, what were the questions?"

She shook her head. "God, no, I'm stuffed. Why do you want to know the questions?" It was her turn to grin. She already knew why, but couldn't resist.

His look turned almost sheepish as he shrugged. "I just wanna …"

"See if you know as many things about me? It's not a competition between _us_, Steve." She laughed.

"I know, but …" He looked like a little boy asking for a toy.

"Oh, good God," She reached for her purse with chuckle, fished around and handed him a question list. "Here you go, have at it, Commander…"

Steve turned the card over, examining both sides. "This is blank, where're your answers?"

Catherine shook her head, "Nope. Play fair and square." She went to his desk and grabbed a pen and legal pad. "Here you, go."

When she returned to the sofa, Cammie had moved closer and sat at Steve's feet. Catherine smirked. "Is she your consultant?"

"Don't need one." He winked. "I know you, Rollins." His smile was mischievous and his adorable expression earned him an eye roll.

"_Ubiquitously_. But can you get all the answers right?" She teased.

"Without a doubt." Steve leaned close, smiling when his lips brushing her ear as he whispered, "Can I have a _prize _when I do?" made her shiver ever so slightly.

"Mmmhmm … And there it is."

"What?"He was running his tongue along the shell of her ear but stopped to look at her.

"You know you'll get a … _prize_ either way," She moved to nip at his jaw, "but you really love having a chance to win."

He shrugged unashamedly. Catherine was just as competitive as he was. " 'course I wanna win. But I _really_ want the prize." He reached out and pulled her into his lap.

"That can definitely be arranged." She angled her back toward him. "I'm going to change while you take your _exam_." She motioned to the back of her dress. "Get this?"

Steve tugged down her zipper and peppered kisses across her shoulders. "I'm gonna get 'em all right, maybe you just leave it off …"

She stood and bent to kiss him with a chuckle. "Overconfident much, McGarrett? If you don't get one hundred percent, playing fair and square," she deepened the kiss and played with the collar of his T-shirt before pulling away, "_I _get another prize."

"Still win-win." Steve's expression was playful. "What's in there?" He nodded at the gift bag.

She pulled a tissue wrapped garment out of the bag. "Winners got to pick. I picked something you'd like, too …" She dangled a lacy purple chemise from her fingers.

Steve's grin turned feral. "That may actually be the best prize you've ever won, Lieutenant, but …"

"But what?"

"How did … I mean, if they don't know who's gonna win, how did they know who it would fit? All the guests couldn't possibly …" He waved a hand to indicate her slender figure.

"Ahhh. There's an array of prizes. Everything from lingerie to scented candles to wine. Now, if you pass that quiz fair and square, Commander, I'll wear my prize to … present yours." She stepped out of her sundress and donned the chemise.

Catherine wriggled out of her bra and bikinis without removing the chemise and placed them neatly on the arm of the chair. Steve groaned and immediately moved to stand up, "I'll take the quiz later …"

"Ah, ah. Take the quiz first …" Catherine sat back in the recliner with a smile and stretched her legs. "Clock's ticking, Commander." She hummed the _Jeopardy_ theme.

His eyes glinted. "Then stop distracting me, Rollins, I have a prize to win."

Four minutes later Steve triumphantly dropped his pen. "Done."

"Okay, let's compare." Catherine had removed her answer sheet from her purse while Steve was writing at a hectic pace.

"From over there?" Steve said, and then smiled when she rose to join him on the couch and pressed against his side.

Catherine read out loud as they looked over their answers. "First question: _If you were deserted on an island, what three things would your partner want?" _

Steve grinned, "Tarp for cover and water collection; a knife; and paracord."

Catherine laughed, "I said paracord, a knife and a tarp. Next: _what's your partner's blood type?_"

"Piece of cake. You're O-Pos." Steve grinned proudly. "I'm two for two … That deserves an acknowledgement."

Catherine leaned in and kissed him. "Very good."

"Number three," Steve read when they broke apart, "_Where was your first kiss?"_

"In front of the restaurant the week you graduated." Catherine squeezed his hand.

"This one was interesting,_ if you told your partner to jump from a cliff, and said he'd land safely in a net he couldn't see from where you were, would he trust you?_"

"Yes," and "Of course," they said together and Catherine laughed. "I was the _only_ one at the shower who said yes to that."

"_What would you do if you walked in on your partner kissing another person?_" She read as she played with the hair at the back of his neck.

Steve laughed as he glanced at her answer sheet. "You'd take me for an MRI?" Catherine shrugged with a smile as he went on, "That's perfect, actually, because it would definitely mean I needed one."

Catherine read his answer, "You'd figure I was given a psychotropic drug and a post hypnotic suggestion?" Steve nodded and she snorted. "Very creative, but yeah, that's about what it would take."

Steve read, _"When he or she was 13 years old, what did they want to be?"_ and continued with, "You wanted to be a Naval Officer, not a big stretch there. You wrote NFL Quarterback _and_ cop for mine?"

"Am I wrong?" Catherine cocked an eyebrow.

"Nope." Steve shifted to run a hand across the silky material on her back. "What'd you put for,_ oddest location we've ever had sex?_" They exchanged a smirk as both said, "Supply hut," before he read, "_When was the last time you or your partner initiated a long passionate kiss_?"

Catherine moved into his lap and did just that. When they came up for air she whispered. "I had to check my watch for that one. It was when I woke up this morning."

Steve eased her down onto the sofa and kissed her back, just as deeply. "We still playin'?" He murmured against her lips. "Or am I gonna get to collect my prize early?"

"That was the last question."

"Hmmm, looks like …" Steve slid the chemise up and off, "… I won. Fair and square."

"Actually … oh," Catherine breath hitched, "I think I did."

End

* * *

><p><em>If you are not on the REALMcRoll email list and would like to be, drop us an email at realmcroll at yahoo dot com with "Add me, please!" in the subject line. You'll get updates, contests, and fun McRoller games.<em>

_Looking for links to all the REAL World McRoll stories in one place? Check out our Tumblr page mcrollintherealworld dot tumblr dot com._


End file.
